Paolo Nutini Announces Special Guests for Edinburgh's Hogmanay Shows

Organisers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay today announced the full line-up for the headline Concert in the Gardens (31 Dec) and the all new Night Afore Concert (30 Dec), specially curated by headliner Paolo Nutini. Scotland’s Frightened Rabbit (30 Dec) and alt-rock legends The Lightning Seeds (31 Dec) have been chosen by Nutini to join him on stage at the two headline events. Rising stars of the Scottish music scene and fellow Paisley artists, The Vegan Leather, will play both nights to audiences of over 19,000.

A special competition, Hog the Stage, has also been launched today in partnership with Forth 1 and The List to find two of Scotland’s best new bands who can win the chance to join the bill and open one of Paolo’s shows at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. Bands from across Scotland are being asked to submit new music and the top 5 will be hand-picked by Paolo Nutini and entered into an online public vote to select the winners. One of the winning bands will open the Night Afore Concert (30 Dec) and the other will open the Concert in the Gardens (31 Dec).

Paolo Nutini commented on Hog the Stage: "It doesn't have to be the music I make or a certain sound, it's good to jump around. If someone gets loads of votes you can’t deny that. If people want me to pick that's what I’ll do, it's trying to help a band. The main thing is it has to be a band who are new and fresh and wouldn't otherwise find themselves in that situation."

"I am a believer and supporter of new music, I am trying more so than ever to support anything good."

And on The Lightning Seeds:

"Me and my friends have been having house parties which I tend to do more now. There's been a big renaissance of The Lightning Seeds, not sure how it came about, I think just someone put a song on and everyone remembered it. The songs make you so happy.”

Frightened Rabbit are a much loved Scottish band, hailing from Selkirk, who have found success and critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, releasing their fifth album this year. The Night Afore Concert on 30 December will be their second appearance at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, first playing in

2009. The Lightning Seeds, the chart topping alternative rock band from Liverpool, make their debut

appearance at the event when they step onto the Concert in the Gardens stage on 31

December. The Vegan Leather are a four-piece art pop outfit from Paisley that have been hailed as

rising stars of the Scottish music scene and will play both nights.

Frightened Rabbit said "We're thrilled to have been invited to play with Paolo in the incredible

Edinburgh is the ‘Home of Hogmanay’, and organisers are expecting another sell-out event,

welcoming 150,000 visitors from over 80 countries to Scotland’s capital city over the three days,

bringing an estimated economic benefit of over £40 million to the city (figures based on 2014/15

event). Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will not only kick-start 2017, but also launches a year of celebrations

for the 70th anniversary of Edinburgh becoming the world’s leading festival city. The Festival is also a

key part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals celebrations.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a three day Festival and starts on Friday 30 December with the Torchlight

Procession and Night Afore Concert with Paolo Nutini. On Saturday 31 December the world famous

Street Party, Concert in the Gardens, Old Town Ceilidh and Candlelit Concert will welcome 75,000

revellers to the city centre, and in addition to Scot:Lands on Sunday 1 January, the Stoats Loony Dook will see over 1,100 Dookers take a chilly dip in the River Forth under the shadow of the world famous Bridges. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2017 will close with The Final Fling, a family friendly ceilidh which will take place at the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street from 5.30pm to 7.00pm. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a key part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals celebrations.

Tickets for all Edinburgh’s Hogmanay events, including Night Afore Concert, Concert in the Gardens, the world famous Street Party, The Old Town Ceilidh, and pre-booked Torches and wristbands for the Torchlight Procession, are on sale now from www.edinburghshogmanay.com, by calling Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Box Office on 0844 573 8455 or by calling into the Hogmanay Box Office at The Fringe Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh. Tickets for the world famous Street Party are priced at £25.00 (incl booking fee). Old Town Ceilidh tickets are priced at £47.50 (incl booking fee). Torches for the Torchlight Procession can be pre-booked (priced at £12.00), price includes a wristband for access to the Torchlight Procession, additional wristbands for accompanying friends and family can be purchased at £3.00. Sale of Torches and Torchlight Procession wristbands include a donation to Unicef. Tickets for the Final Fling, Stoats Loony Dook and Candlelit Concert are SOLD OUT.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is produced on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council by Unique Events, working with partners Underbelly who produce Edinburgh’s Christmas attractions and events.

-ends-

For Further information please contact:

Frances Sutton, Press Manager

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay

07841 579481 or press@edinburgshogmanay.com

Notes to Editors

Paolo Nutini

Paolo Nutini

Organisers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay today announced the full line-up for the headline Concert in the Gardens (31 Dec) and the all new Night Afore Concert (30 Dec), specially curated by headliner Paolo Nutini. Scotland’s Frightened Rabbit (30 Dec) and alt-rock legends The Lightning Seeds (31 Dec) have been chosen by Nutini to join him on stage at the two headline events. Rising stars of the Scottish music scene and fellow Paisley artists, The Vegan Leather, will play both nights to audiences of over 19,000.

A special competition, Hog the Stage, has also been launched today in partnership with Forth 1 and The List to find two of Scotland’s best new bands who can win the chance to join the bill and open one of Paolo’s shows at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. Bands from across Scotland are being asked to submit new music and the top 5 will be hand-picked by Paolo Nutini and entered into an online public vote to select the winners. One of the winning bands will open the Night Afore Concert (30 Dec) and the other will open the Concert in the Gardens (31 Dec).

Paolo Nutini commented on Hog the Stage: "It doesn't have to be the music I make or a certain sound, it's good to jump around. If someone gets loads of votes you can’t deny that. If people want me to pick that's what I’ll do, it's trying to help a band. The main thing is it has to be a band who are new and fresh and wouldn't otherwise find themselves in that situation."

"I am a believer and supporter of new music, I am trying more so than ever to support anything good."

And on The Lightning Seeds:

"Me and my friends have been having house parties which I tend to do more now. There's been a big renaissance of The Lightning Seeds, not sure how it came about, I think just someone put a song on and everyone remembered it. The songs make you so happy.”

Frightened Rabbit are a much loved Scottish band, hailing from Selkirk, who have found success and critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, releasing their fifth album this year. The Night Afore Concert on 30 December will be their second appearance at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, first playing in 2009.The Lightning Seeds, the chart topping alternative rock band from Liverpool, make their debutappearance at the event when they step onto the Concert in the Gardens stage on 31 December. The Vegan Leather are a four-piece art pop outfit from Paisley that have been hailed asrising stars of the Scottish music scene and will play both nights.

Frightened Rabbit said "We're thrilled to have been invited to play with Paolo in the incredible setting of Princes Street Gardens. Looking forward to getting everyone ramped up for Hogmanay!

"Ian Broudie from The Lightning Seeds, said “I’ve often seen Hogmanay in Edinburgh on the TV, andthe atmosphere looks amazing and it’s going be brilliant to sample it for myself on the night. Also great to be playing with Paolo Nutini. “

The Edinburgh’s Hogmanay ‘Hog the Stage’ competition, in partnership with Forth 1 and The List,will give two of Scotland’s best up-and-coming bands the opportunity to open one of Paolo’s shows,showcasing new Scottish talent and giving them the opportunity of a lifetime.

Submissions open 10am, Monday 14 November via edinburghshogmanay.com and will close 5pm, Friday 25 November. Paolo will personally select a shortlist of his top five favourite bands, which will be putto an online vote to find the winners. The winning bands will be announced on Wednesday 14 December. See edinburghshogmanay.com for all details of submission requirements and voting procedures.

Al Thomson, Director of Unique Events, who produce Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on behalf of the Cityof Edinburgh Council, said “We’re thrilled to welcome more incredible music onto the Edinburgh’sHogmanay bill and to give new Scottish bands the opportunity to join Paolo, Frightened Rabbit andThe Lightning Seeds with our ‘Hog the Stage’ competition, which would see them play to thousandsand could help launch the career of Scotland’s next biggest band’.

Councillor Richard Lewis, Edinburgh’s Festivals and Events Champion, said: “With six weeks to go,the demand to celebrate Hogmanay in the Scottish Capital has been phenomenal. It is clear the world wants to celebrate the start of 2017 here in Edinburgh and what a year it will be for us as wewelcome in the 70th anniversary of Edinburgh, the Festival City. Both Paolo Nutini shows not onlyhave fantastic line-ups but the opportunity of a lifetime for a new Scottish band to join the stage aswe count down to the greatest New Year’s party on earth.”

A small number of tickets remain for the Night Afore Concert with Paolo Nutini on 30 Decemberand to celebrate the announcement of the full line-up, a limited number of tickets will be releasedfor the Concert in the Gardens (31 Dec) and will be available from 10.00am on Monday 14November through edinburghshogmanay.com or by calling the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Box Officeon 0844 573 8455. Enclosure tickets are priced at £65.00 (Incl. booking fee) and Gardens ticketsfor £55.00 (Incl. booking fee).

Edinburgh is the ‘Home of Hogmanay’, and organisers are expecting another sell-out event,welcoming 150,000 visitors from over 80 countries to Scotland’s capital city over the three days,bringing an estimated economic benefit of over £40 million to the city (figures based on 2014/15 event). Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will not only kick-start 2017, but also launches a year of celebrations for the 70th anniversary of Edinburgh becoming the world’s leading festival city. The Festival is also a key part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals celebrations.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a three day Festival and starts on Friday 30 December with the Torchlight Procession and Night Afore Concert with Paolo Nutini. On Saturday 31 December the world famous Street Party, Concert in the Gardens, Old Town Ceilidh and Candlelit Concert will welcome 75,000 revellers to the city centre, and in addition to Scot:Lands on Sunday 1 January, the Stoats Loony Dook will see over 1,100 Dookers take a chilly dip in the River Forth under the shadow of the world famous Bridges.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2017 will close with The Final Fling, a family friendly ceilidh which will take place at the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street from 5.30pm to 7.00pm. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a key part of Scotland’s Winter Festivals celebrations.Tickets for all Edinburgh’s Hogmanay events, including Night Afore Concert, Concert in the Gardens, the world famous Street Party, The Old Town Ceilidh, and pre-booked Torches and wristbands for the Torchlight Procession, are on sale now from www.edinburghshogmanay.com, by calling Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Box Office on 0844 573 8455 or by calling into the Hogmanay Box Office at The Fringe Office, 180 High Street, Edinburgh.

Tickets for the world famous Street Party are priced at £25.00 (incl booking fee). Old Town Ceilidh tickets are priced at £47.50 (incl booking fee). Torches for the Torchlight Procession can be pre-booked (priced at £12.00), price includes a wristband for access to the Torchlight Procession, additional wristbands for accompanying friends and family can be purchased at £3.00. Sale of Torches and Torchlight Procession wristbands include a donation to Unicef. Tickets for the Final Fling, Stoats Loony Dook and Candlelit Concert are SOLD OUT

.Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is produced on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council by Unique Events, working with partners Underbelly who produce Edinburgh’s Christmas attractions and events.